Forcing certain parts together

[Camacha]

As I am working on getting certain things done, I was wondering about the following:

- Is it possible to limit certain parts/nodes only to other specific parts? So, for instance, you have a container part. In this part you would then only be able to place part X, Y or Z. Can that be done?

- In a completely separate situation: it it possible to, when a certain part is placed inside a container part, to update (change the appearance of) part of or the whole container part? Removing the item would revert that update again.

Ideally either would be done without a plug-in, but if needs be, plug-ins can be discussed. In that case I would be most interested to find out what it would take to realize something like this.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Camacha
Typo in title.

[passinglurker]

I don't recall ever seeing something like this done with stock nor can I imagine how it would be done with stock.

With firespitter you can make a part switch meshs, textures, and fuel capacities in the VAB editor via a tweak-able menu but I don't think firespitter presently has the ability to do this based on whats attached to a part. Can you give some more details of what you are trying to accomplish?

[CaptainKipard]

You can't limt in-VAB attachments afaik, but you can limit in-game docking attachments by setting the nodeType to something unique.

[Camacha]

With firespitter you can make a part switch meshs, textures, and fuel capacities in the VAB editor via a tweak-able menu but I don't think firespitter presently has the ability to do this based on whats attached to a part. Can you give some more details of what you are trying to accomplish?

I am trying to make a modular system, but the parts that slot into the base parts will have different properties and different dimensions. Think of a container with a couple of inserts, with different options for every different container type. I am hoping to figure out a way to have the parts sort themselves out without requiring the player to select the right variation of part, as some containers will need to adapt to make everything fit for that combination. Invariably people are going to select the wrong ones if you leave it to them, making everything all broken and silly.

So think of something along the lines of:

- Big container: insert X, Y and Z.

- Medium container: insert Y and Z.

- Small container: insert Z.

You might even want to go as far as to allow multiple small inserts to be fitted into a large container, but I do not think this will be really useful or necessary. I can imagine this is all hugely unclear and mysterious sounding, in which case I might make a sketch to clarify things after catching some sleep.

You can't limt in-VAB attachments afaik, but you can limit in-game docking attachments by setting the nodeType to something unique.

I guess in-game parts are attached and stay attached. If this is going to happen it needs to work in the VAB.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Camacha

[artwhaley]

From your last post... am I understanding that the smaller parts don't need to ever be removed from the larger part?

If so, I have a suggestion, though I haven't done it exactly myself, so don't throw the rocket at me if it doesn't work... But it seems like you could use JSIPartUtilities ability to switch meshes and colliders to make several versions of your part... a big container with one of each, a big with two x and a y, a big with one x and two y.... etc. etc. etc. So you'd just place the part, then right click and step through the menu until you found the version you wanted to fly. This would let you switch out the whole object as you're hoping.

I REALLY wish there was a way to give nodes an ID like docking ports to make them work the way you mention in the VAB. It would be really handy for a lot of things to be able to make a node that would only hold certain things. It seems like that's going to involve something buried pretty deep in the editor. If you make a suggestion in the game development forum, I'll surely click the 'second!' button!

[Camacha]

If so, I have a suggestion, though I haven't done it exactly myself, so don't throw the rocket at me if it doesn't work... But it seems like you could use JSIPartUtilities ability to switch meshes and colliders to make several versions of your part... a big container with one of each, a big with two x and a y, a big with one x and two y.... etc. etc. etc. So you'd just place the part, then right click and step through the menu until you found the version you wanted to fly. This would let you switch out the whole object as you're hoping.

I considered this and I guess it is an option, though it would limit anyone from making any extra parts, which I ideally would allow. I do realize I do not have that many options here and that I am asking for a weird combination of freedom and limitations.

Maybe I can come up with something else. If all else fails, I might just make regular parts with offset attachment nodes, so that they only fit in the bay right one way. That would not really solve the mounting problem, but maybe some smart use of clipping or obscuring one part with another might help out there. If people choose to stuff other things in there its their choice. Using multiple smaller parts instead of one bigger one is not really a priority, as I see that being used only so often, though that could even be done with a couple of extra nodes.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Camacha

[NecroBones]

Just a question-- Doesn't "Universal Storage" do something similar to this? Is it doing it via plugin code? I've never used it, so I don't know if it's exactly the same idea, but I'm wondering if they addressed this problem.

[Camacha]

Just a question-- Doesn't "Universal Storage" do something similar to this? Is it doing it via plugin code? I've never used it, so I don't know if it's exactly the same idea, but I'm wondering if they addressed this problem.

I have had that mod in my mind a couple of times, as well as KAS, so I am asking now.